The Genesis Code 1: Lambda (39 page)

“Cecilia, how old are you?”

Again, Cecilia was not sure how to react to her questions.

What is she getting at? Did something happen to Zack?!

Nerine started clicking her heels in a nervous act as she played with her fingers. She did seem rather disheartened.

“I see . . . you don’t trust me still,” she said, sounding defeated.

Cecilia’s mouth hung open. She didn’t know how to convey the things that she was feeling, but what Nerine said was true. She didn’t trust her. She didn’t trust anyone that worked for a shady person such as Corson. The only person she had ever trusted was her brother. There was no one else she ever relied on. She loved him. Until she saw him with her own eyes and knew that he was safe, she wasn’t going to talk easily.

“Where is my brother? I want to see him.” Cecilia spoke as strongly as she could.

Nerine sighed as she coiled her finger around a strand of her hair.

“He is fine. Don’t worry-”

“I do worry! He’s my brother! What are you guys planning?!” Cecilia yelled with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She leaned into Nerine hard as she glared into the girl’s sky-blue eyes.

“Calm down. Nothing is going to happen-”

“Like I’m going to believe some terrorists!” she bellowed.

The last comment struck a chord in Nerine. Her passive nature quickly vanished and was replaced with an overwhelming presence of contempt.

“You ought to learn the full spectrum of the reality you live in before you start labeling people you don’t have any understanding of,” she whispered vividly.

Cecilia quickly recoiled as she saw the look in Nerine’s eyes. They were stone, fierce. She looked like a completely different person now. The look she was giving Cecilia sent waves of terror up her body. Her eyes looked so much like Corson’s.

“Have you ever wondered why someone like me follows Corson?” Nerine’s eyes didn’t change as she spoke.

Cecilia shook her head slowly as she fought to keep her body from shivering.

“Everyone here, all of Stigma, has a reason to follow Corson. Most follow for his grand plan and pursuit of change, but there are several who follow him for a much greater reason, myself included.”

Cecilia swallowed hard. “A-and w-what is that?”

Nerine took to standing. Her looming gaze never once faltered.

“He saved us. He gave us something when we had nothing left. We were given a chance when no one else would hear us. To me, Corson is like. . .” she paused as she broke eye contact. Her bottom lip twitched as her intense eyes began to soften.

In that pause, Cecilia could sense a strong pain in Nerine’s watery eyes. She looked to be fighting back tears while struggling to remain strong. Cecilia thought of Nerine’s question from before, which made her wonder just how old Nerine was. Her pained expression as she bit her lip made Cecilia see that she didn’t understand anything. How could she? All her life she was neglected and betrayed. She was spoiled by her brother’s protection and did nothing but complain. She was nothing but a spoiled brat . . . desperate for attention.

I-I don’t have the right . . . to judge anyone,
she thought while hanging her head in shame.

Cecilia looked up at Nerine, who still looked like she was fighting back tears as she clenched her fists tightly.

“H-how did Corson save you?” she asked softly.

Nerine’s lip ceased quivering, but her eyes still remained foggy. She still wouldn’t make eye contact as she looked at the center of the bed rather than Cecilia.

“I was an orphan, living in one of the many Limit Zones constructed around the country. You privileged people don’t even know what Limit Zones are, much less know they even exist, I bet.”

Nerine was right. Cecilia had never heard of such a thing. But the way Nerine spoke of it with such resentment made Cecilia wonder just what it was. The rage that was evoked in Nerine’s stance made Cecilia worry if she really wanted to know.

Nerine noticed Cecilia’s confused look, which only served to anger her further. However, she knew that Cecilia wasn’t the person she should be mad at. It was at times like these that Nerine recalled the words that Corson had said to her back then. She closed her eyes and remembered the moment when her life finally shifted in the right direction.

He had held out his hand. His masked face at that time frightened Nerine. She was seventeen now, but his presence two years ago froze her with fear.

Despite Nerine’s obvious fear, he continued to hold out his hand to a beaten and tattered girl who was fighting for food. Back then, every day was a fight to find work just to feed herself in the Limit Zone. It was so rural and old that the only line of work available was construction or factory work, both of which she was physically unable to do.

The truth was, her talents laid elsewhere. Put her fingers on a keyboard, and she could give you the world. She was a genius hacker and a extraordinary programmer. Some say it was a gift, but for Nerine, it quickly turned into a curse as she was never given the chance to let her talents shine. After all, she was abandoned as a child. Where her talents came from, she never knew. All she did know was at the earliest she could remember, she was building her own computers with the just the simple scrap she found. It was a passion she couldn’t let go of. It was something that no one could take from her, and something that made her who she was.
      
Unfortunately, it left her with no way to feed herself after she grew of age and was thrown into the futureless land of the Limit Zone. Left to fend for herself, and with no way to earn money, she quickly found herself homeless and starving in the dark world, teeming with smoke and metal. The land was always dreary and filled with unfiltered air. Even during the day, the smokestacks seemed to block out the sun.

She recalled Corson’s outstretched hand and his unwavering eyes. Had it not been for that extended hand she took that day, Nerine wondered if she would still be alive now. Back then, his hand never loosened. His powerful eyes spoke more words than anything. Though scared, Nerine had reached out with her quivering hand. She remembered, clearly, the first thing Corson ever said to her . . .

“What is your name, child?” His voice was so soft and kind then. It bewildered Nerine that his voice could sound the way it did.

Still fearful, Nerine remembered managing to cough out her name. She was mesmerized by how Corson’s eyes softened then as he chuckled lightly. The profound words he said to her that day still remained with her.

“Nerine? A fitting name . . . for a diamond in the rough.”

      
Nerine took a deep breath as she opened her eyes, finding renewed strength in the memories of her past. She always found solace and peace when she reflected on where she was then compared to where she was now.

“Cecilia,” she said with a light smile.

Cecilia looked up at her, sensing a change in her presence. It seemed a lot warmer all of a sudden.

“I want you to come with us.”

Cecilia looked surprised. “Come with you? Where?”

Nerine smiled cheerfully. “Where it will all begin. Limit Zone 246.”

*
      
*
      
*

The sound of Zack’s rumbling stomach echoed throughout the room. He looked over to Laura, but before he could utter a word, she merely pointed to the sink to his left.

“You’ll survive. Drink something for now,” she uttered nonchalantly.

Zack groaned as he rolled his eyes.
I don’t know why I even thought to ask.

With minor discontent, he made his way to the sink and turned the faucet. The running water was ice cold, but it felt good as Zack put his mouth under the flowing water. Still, as refreshing as it was, he knew he was just stalling. After all, Laura was starting to become increasingly curious. Ever since Zack’s comment from before, she had been leering at him with a piercing stare. She seemed like she was trying to search his soul. It made Zack feel uneasy.

I can’t let her find out that I was there on that day. If they find out . . . who knows what they might do.

Zack could still distinctively recall the events that had transpired back then. If Corson were to find out that Zack was the one behind Rachiel’s creation, he may reconsider his current tactics. For all Zack knew, Corson may confine him and force him to make another Rachiel, an AI that would only obey him. However, Zack had his doubts. He recalled the haste that rode Corson’s words. It sounded like he was short on time. Even so, if he were to find out that Zack was there, or Laura for that matter, it would only cause more chaos. It wasn’t important right now, but Zack didn’t want anyone to find out, not just yet.

“Where is Corson now, Laura?” Zack asked after shutting the running water off.

Laura’s eyes burned for a quick second as she frowned with frustration at Zack’s casual use of Corson’s name. She rolled her eyes with a shake of her head, knowing she was only going to lose if she brought it up.

“Corson is making the final arrangements for our plan. Don’t worry, he still has a use for you, I’m sure. After all, he wants you to see the truth.”

Zack’s face turned serious. “The Limit Zones, huh?”

Laura nodded. “You will be able to experience and see what Stigma fights for.”

Zack sat down next to Lambda. “I wonder about that. Your organization has never been good at showcasing its efforts.”

Laura huffed. “You are blinded by the media’s fabrication of the truth. Perhaps you should stop being distracted and open your eyes to the bigger picture. What we are fighting for is bigger than you or me. Corson wishes to bring freedom. Soon, you will understand.”

Zack rolled Laura’s words over in his head. It seemed strange to him.
Freedom? We all are prisoners now?

Zack didn’t understand what Laura was trying to say. She was deliberately being cryptic, and not saying anything that was too revealing. It was just enough to wet his curiosity, but not enough to give him a clear picture of the grand goal. Just what exactly were these Limit Zones?

Laura’s wrist lit up. She reached down and tapped it to receive her call.

“Yes?” she inquired. She continued her conversation in a hushed tone, prompting Zack to want to hear what she was talking about.

Zack strained his ears in an effort to hear her conversation. He wondered just what kind of plan Corson was trying to put in motion that required Lambda’s and his cooperation. He was far from any answer. It pained him to be left in the dark, without a clue of what all of this was leading up to.

Laura broke Zack’s thoughts.

“Looks like things are moving smoothly. You two will accompany me to Hangar 3. We will meet Corson and the rest of the chosen squads there,” she said firmly.

Neither Zack nor Lambda made a comment as she opened the door to their room.

“Follow me. Don’t fall behind, and don’t ask any questions,” she warned.

Zack chuckled wearily under his breath.
Feel the love and hospitality.

Moments later Zack and Lambda followed Laura out into the long halls beyond their little cell. The metal walls shined with such perfection that it made both Laura and Lambda stand out alarmingly in their black outfits. Even the floor below him clanked every time a step was made. It was a fortress of steel.

As they rounded a corner, the hall expanded and branched out to give access to three huge doors, labeled one through three. Several members of Stigma were scattered around the area. Some chose to lay on the ground, while others propped up on the walls. Once they laid eyes on Laura, they immediately ceased what they were doing and stood in attention. Zack found this fascinating. After all, a lot of the people he saw looked much older than Laura.

They all wore a similar uniform of camouflage with a mix of dark green and black. Several of the people Zack noted were older men, appearing to be in their early forties and some in their fifties. He could tell from their military stature that they were veterans.

There weren’t many women, but the few Zack did see appeared to be quite young. There were only two to five women he could see that looked to be in their thirties at first glance. Still, what stood out most to Zack was that the demographic seemed incredibly mixed. From just taking quick looks, he could tell that all races were present. Still, that aside, Zack found it quite remarkable that so many people from different backgrounds and culture were all united under the same banner. What was their reason for following Corson?

“All of these people are-”

“What did I say about asking questions?” Laura barked as they marched on.

Zack cringed and instantly silenced as he kept pace with Laura from behind.

Lambda followed suit. She too wondered about the people around them. In particular, she wondered why some of the people would make eye contact with her and then immediately look down. She could hear their quickening pulse and increased heart rate as she scanned their vitals. She wanted to believe this was the effect caused by Laura, but she knew better. She didn’t like the answer, but she already knew what was happening around her.

They’re terrified of me.

Lambda’s thoughts were broken as they ceased their advance once they came before the giant door with the number “3” on it. Laura tapped a small compartment and popped it open to reveal a retinal scanner. She leaned forward as the laser expanded and scanned her eye for verification.

“Match. Laura Richter. Access granted,” came a robotic voice.

The massive door split in two and slowly spread to allow them to enter the vast hangar beyond the metal doors. Zack felt like he was passing though the Hoover Dam.

Once on the other side of the massive door, Zack stared in awe as he gazed at the colossal armory before him. The area was gigantic and expansive, with multiple levels stacked along the sides of the mountain-like walls. In the center, it was all clear to allow several Black Hawk helicopters to rest on their helipads. Dozens of huge computer screens were illuminated all around Zack and displayed huge holograms of the entire world and Cyber Network layout. The only thing more mesmerizing was the sheer amount of people that moved around the area. So many different people looked to be working tirelessly towards a goal that Zack just didn’t seem to understand. There had to be a few hundred people moving around in the hangar. That alone was enough to leave Zack in shock. The bigger realization he came to see was one simple truth. He didn’t want to admit it, but after seeing all this, he had no choice.